Woman committed to psychiatric hospital for 40 years after 3-hour attack on elderly mother.

HARTFORD — A woman found not guilty by reason of mental illness of trying to kill her 70-year-old mother in West Hartford a year ago was committed Tuesday to the custody of the state Psychiatric Security Review Board for 40 years.

After a one-day trial in October, Judge Jose A. Suarez found that Gail Litsky "lacked the capacity to control her behavior based on her mental state." His finding followed testimony from a psychiatrist who said that Litsky, 47, suffers from bipolar disorder with psychosis.

The Psychiatric Security Review Board is charged with treating, confining and conditionally releasing people acquitted of crimes by reason of mental disease or defect.

Litsky was charged with attempted murder, first-degree assault on an elderly person and cruelty to persons after the attack, which began late on Feb. 7 and stretched into Feb. 8.

Litsky's mother, Evelyn Nirenstein, 71, asked the judge to commit her daughter for life so that she could feel safe and because her daughter is so ill.

Litsky's public defender, William O'Connor, asked for a 12-year commitment.

Prosecutor Vicki Melchiorrie asked for a lengthy commitment, but did not specify how long. Suarez opted for 40 years, although during that time Litsky will be regularly evaluated and could be recommended for release sooner.

During the trial, Nirenstein testified that her daughter tried to push her down a set of stairs, tried to electrocute her, jumped up and down on her and repeatedly slammed her head onto the kitchen floor, lit her hair on fire, kicked her and tried to choke her, cut her with a knife and repeatedly hit her over the head with a wooden board.

During the attack, Litsky said: "Why can't you have that heart attack and die already? Why can't you just die?" Nirenstein testified.

Much of the attack was witnessed by Litsky's 19-year-old daughter, who wouldn't call police until Litsky said it was OK, according to testimony. Hospital staff told Nirenstein that if the abuse lasted another 10 or 15 minutes, she would have died, she said.

Dr. Susan Parke, a psychiatrist and assistant professor at Yale University, testified that she interviewed Litsky four times and concluded that she has bipolar disorder, type 1, and psychosis and that she abuses marijuana. Litsky also is delusional, reporting at one point that bugs got under her skin and laid eggs, she testified.